Outlook 2016

Tips & Tricks

Shortcuts and timesavers for
your favorite email and calendar app
Applies to Outlook 2016 for Windows

1. Get to your inbox fast

Just started up your computer and want to see your inbox right away? Try this.

Press these keys:

+ R
2

Type outlook and then press the Enter key.

When Outlook starts, press these keys to create a new email message:

Ctrl
4

+ N

Add your recipients, a subject line, and then write your message.
Troy Segal

How is the presentation coming along?

Hi there, just checking to see if you need any help before the meeting...

2. Stop hunting for attachments

Recently worked on something? Dont search for it its likely already on the Attach File menu.

Save a file in any

app.

Create a new
message.

Ctrl

Click Attach File.

On the ribbon, click

Message.

+ N

Select a recently saved file from the list.

Packing list.docx

3. Wheres the Bcc field?

Sending out an email to a bunch of people? Turn on the Bcc field so they cant see the
recipients. Nor can they reply to all of the them. Heres how to bring up the Bcc field.

Create a new
message.

Ctrl

On the ribbon, click

Options.

Click the Bcc

button.

+ N

The Bcc field shows up.

Youre
done!

Bcc is sticky! What does that mean? It means that after you show it the first time, it will always
show up from that moment on. If you turn it off thats sticky, too! It will stay off in that case.

4. Get rid of outdated Auto-Complete addresses

Auto-Complete addresses are handy except when theyre not. Heres how to delete them.

Start typing a name, and youll see the Auto-Complete list.

M|
Margaret Lawson (maggie@contoso.com)
Maggie Kahn (maggiek@contoso.com)
Mariana Landry (mariana@contoso.com)
Marlon Turman (marlon@contoso.com)
Matilda Donovan (matilda@contoso.com)
Maura Zimmerman (maura@contoso.com)
Millie Davidson (millie@contoso.com)

On the right, click the X to remove the address.

M|
Margaret Lawson (maggie@contoso.com)
Maggie Kahn (maggie@contoso.com)
Mariana Landry (mariana@contoso.com)
Marlon Turman (marlon@contoso.com)
Matilda Donovan (matilda@contoso.com)
Maura Zimmerman (maura@contoso.com)
Millie Davidson (millie@contoso.com)

Want to delete all Auto-Complete suggestions? You can. Go To File > Options > Mail. Scroll
down to the Send messages section. Then either click the Empty Auto-Complete List button,
or uncheck Use Auto-Complete to turn it off.

5. Know when to Delete and when to Archive

The Delete and Archive buttons are next to each other. Heres when to use one versus the other.

Delete

How it works
Clicking the Delete button will get rid
of the message.

Why its special

Its the good old Delete button! Put
plainly, it zaps away your message and
eventually it will get deleted for good.
(Well, unless you undo or recover it.)

It moves messages to...

The Deleted Items folder, which you
probably empty from time to time. In
some cases, your IT department may
empty it for you.

Does it reduce mailbox size?

Using the Delete button will eventually reduce the size of your overall
mailbox, that is, if the Deleted Items
folder gets emptied.

VS

Archive

How it works
Clicking the Archive button will keep
the message.

Why its special

Its a one-click way to keep a message.
No need to carefully file it into a folder
or subfolder. One click, or tap, files it
away for safekeeping.

It moves messages to...

The Archive folder. This is just another
folder to keep messages.

Does it reduce mailbox size?

No. It keeps things, it doesnt remove
them or shrink your mailbox in any
way.

6. Lightning-fast shortcuts for search

Need to find someones message really fast? Try these quick shortcuts.

Press these keys:

Ctrl

+ E

Your cursor automatically jumps to the Search box.

Type Amy to find all messages containing the word Amy.

Amy

Type this to find email from Amy.

from:Amy

Type this to find email from Amy that was received this week.

from:Amy received:this week

Type this to find email from Amy that includes attachments.

from:Amy hasattachments:yes

7. Set an Automatic Reply for your vacation

Call it what you will: Vacation reply, Out of office message, or Automatic reply heres
how to set it up so that people know youre out of the office.

Go to Mail.

Click File.

Click this option.

Type your message,

and then click OK.

Youre
done!

Hello, thank you for your

email. I will be out of the
office until January 2nd.

Click Automatic
Replies.

NOTE Not all email accounts allow you to set automatic replies. See https://aka.ms/alternativeAutoReply
for workarounds if this feature isnt available for you.

8. Turn a message into a meeting

Got an email thread that begs for setting up a meeting? Heres how to make that happen.

Open a message that needs to be

turned into a meeting.

RE: Decision???
To Anne Gaines; Jeffery Groce; Julian Hargrave

Press these keys:

Ctrl + Alt + R

Im trying to think what we should do? Anne,

what do you think? Option 2? Jeery?
Thoughts? Im torn. Julian? Your opinions?
Im thinking there are pros and cons for
each...

The message turns into a meeting invitation with attendees. Set your Location, the
Start time, and End time. Click Send and your meeting is all set up.

robinpruitt@contoso.com
Anne Gaines; Jeffery Groce; Julian Hargrave
We need to make a decision
Conference Room 1000

9. Jump around Outlook with ease

Sometimes you need to be in your calendar, and then quickly switch back to mail. Here are
some shortcut keys that can help you do that.

Ctrl

+ 1

...takes you to Mail.

Ctrl

+ 3

...takes you to People.

Ctrl

+ 2

...takes you to Calendar.

Ctrl

+ 4

...takes you to Tasks.

10. Add a personal signature to messages

Signatures can be fancy, or very plain. Regardless of your style, heres how to create one:

Ctrl

Create a new
message.

Click Signature.

Click Signatures...

On the left, click

New.

Under New
message, select
your signature.

+ N

On the right, choose an email account.

Email account:

robin@contoso.com
robin@adatum.com
robin@contoso.com

Type a name for the

signature.

Make the signature.

Robin Pruitt
Work Signature|

General Manager
Contoso, Ltd.

11. Change the Outlook colors

When you first install Outlook, it may appear too bright for you. If you want different parts of
the Outlook interface to stand out, heres how to pick a different color theme.

Click File.

Click Options.

Select another
theme.

Click OK.

Youre
done!

On the right, look

for Office Theme.

This works across all of your Office apps. Please note that if you change your Office Theme, it
will change all of your Office app colors from Outlook, to Word, to Excel, and so on.

12. Find your Outlook on the web address

Your company might provide you with Outlook on the web. Thats a way to check your work email
when youre not at your desk. Heres how to find the web address for it.

Click File.

Click Info, and if your company has Outlook on the

web, it will appear there.

Account Settings

Change settings for this account or set up more connections.

Access this account on the web.
https://outlook.office365.com/owa/...

Click the link to

check it out.

Sign in to see what

it looks like.

Youre
done!

Thanks for reading!

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